Pete Tannen: Answers from the ACLU

Published: Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 11:41 p.m.

Some of the things I have recently heard about the ACLU and the homeless are so uninformed and bizarre that they deserve a response.

Facts

Every time we have defended the homeless in Sarasota, we have
either won our case outright, or helped get an unfair law repealed or
changed.

1. "Why does the ACLU keep suing the city of Sarasota?"

Because the Sarasota Police Department keeps violating people's constitutional rights. Yes, many of the people we defend are homeless, but being homeless doesn't mean you give up your rights.

When government abuses anyone's constitutional rights, the local ACLU steps in to protect them. That's what we do.

If government follows the law, they won't hear from us.

2. "The ACLU is simply after money and headlines."

First, the money: We have successfully defended the rights of well over 100 homeless people, some of them homeless families with children, for which we have made precisely $0.00. That's zero dollars. And zero cents.

For those 100 homeless cases, nobody on our board has been paid anything. Period.

And for your information: Every time we have defended the homeless in Sarasota, we have either won our case outright, or helped get an unfair law repealed or changed.

Second, the headlines: The ACLU does not create headlines like "Police Officer Slams Homeless Man Against Bus Station Wall." Or "Homeless Man Jailed For Plugging Cellphone Into Park Outlet." Or "Homeless Man Arrested For Breaking Law That Had Been Repealed."

We react to headlines. People call us to report abuses of their civil liberties. I know -- I answer our phone.

3. "Some of the homeless people you see holding signs on Tamiami Trail are really an ACLU 'sting operation.'"

Good grief. See "paranoia" in your dictionary.

4. "Who are you, anyway?"

The ACLU is an all-volunteer organization. Our membership has just hit an all-time high in Sarasota. We currently have almost 1,500 members, and are the fastest-growing ACLU chapter in the state by far.

A lot of your friends and neighbors in Sarasota are card-carrying ACLU members.

Our local board includes two educators, a doctor, a foreign language translator, a newspaper humor columnist, a couple of retired patent and labor attorneys, four active local attorneys and three college students (New College and University of South Florida). Our meetings are open to the public. You're invited.

Now let me ask you a question:

The next time someone abuses your civil liberties -- say a store owner threatens to call the police if you don't stop collecting signatures on a petition outside his store, or someone says you can't hand out your church literature in a public park -- who do you call?

Our phone number is (941) 306-1937.

Pete Tannen is president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Sarasota/Manatee/DeSoto.

<p>Some of the things I have recently heard about the ACLU and the homeless are so uninformed and bizarre that they deserve a response.</p><div class="art_item art_item_inset art_item_facts">
<h3>Facts</h3>
<h4>Every time we have defended the homeless in Sarasota, we have
either won our case outright, or helped get an unfair law repealed or
changed.</h4>
<p></p>
</div>
<p>1. "Why does the ACLU keep suing the city of Sarasota?"</p><p>Because the Sarasota Police Department keeps violating people's constitutional rights. Yes, many of the people we defend are homeless, but being homeless doesn't mean you give up your rights.</p><p>When government abuses anyone's constitutional rights, the local ACLU steps in to protect them. That's what we do.</p><p>If government follows the law, they won't hear from us.</p><p>2. "The ACLU is simply after money and headlines."</p><p>First, the money: We have successfully defended the rights of well over 100 homeless people, some of them homeless families with children, for which we have made precisely $0.00. That's zero dollars. And zero cents.</p><p>For those 100 homeless cases, nobody on our board has been paid anything. Period.</p><p>And for your information: Every time we have defended the homeless in Sarasota, we have either won our case outright, or helped get an unfair law repealed or changed.</p><p>Second, the headlines: The ACLU does not create headlines like "Police Officer Slams Homeless Man Against Bus Station Wall." Or "Homeless Man Jailed For Plugging Cellphone Into Park Outlet." Or "Homeless Man Arrested For Breaking Law That Had Been Repealed."</p><p>We react to headlines. People call us to report abuses of their civil liberties. I know -- I answer our phone.</p><p>3. "Some of the homeless people you see holding signs on Tamiami Trail are really an ACLU 'sting operation.'"</p><p>Good grief. See "paranoia" in your dictionary.</p><p>4. "Who are you, anyway?"</p><p>The ACLU is an all-volunteer organization. Our membership has just hit an all-time high in Sarasota. We currently have almost 1,500 members, and are the fastest-growing ACLU chapter in the state by far.</p><p>A lot of your friends and neighbors in Sarasota are card-carrying ACLU members.</p><p>Our local board includes two educators, a doctor, a foreign language translator, a newspaper humor columnist, a couple of retired patent and labor attorneys, four active local attorneys and three college students (New College and University of South Florida). Our meetings are open to the public. You're invited.</p><p>Now let me ask you a question:</p><p>The next time someone abuses your civil liberties -- say a store owner threatens to call the police if you don't stop collecting signatures on a petition outside his store, or someone says you can't hand out your church literature in a public park -- who do you call?</p><p>Our phone number is (941) 306-1937.</p><p>Pete Tannen is president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Sarasota/Manatee/DeSoto.</p><p><empty></p>